Playing For Keeps by M
List Price: $4.99 Publisher: Swarm Press Salesrank: 6934 Our Price: $3.99 Availibility: Costumer Rating: Customer Reviews: Just A Wonderful Book I have to say that I enjoyed this book so much that I went back and bought more just to give it out as gifts for the holidays. Mur is a great writer. Not your average superhero! Mur Lafferty does a great job of turning the superhero genre on it’s ear with this book. Her writing style includes great descriptions and keeps the action moving. I first experienced it through the podcast which is here: http://www.playingforkeepsnovel.com. A unique look at a world of wonder Usually when one picks up a book on superheroes, one expects the protagonist to be a cape wearing, mighty champion of justice. One doesn’t expect a jaded bartender who wearies of these self righteous champions, their dangerous foes, and the property damage, because it’s bad for business! Keepsie Branson and her friends are all in the same boat, their powers aren’t enough for the Academy to make them heroes, and so they use their powers in interesting ways to make a living. Between a bartender who you can’t steal from, a chef who can cook exactly what you want, and a man with a sense of smell a bloodhound would be jealous of, Keepsie and crew are an eclectic, interesting and fun bunch. Toss in a major disaster and a catastrophic battle between the forces of good and evil, and you have a very compelling story of survival, friendship, and finding the true power in one’s self to do what’s right and to use your skills, however trivial they may seem, in doing the right thing. In a genre that’s been up and down and back and forth and reborn again and again, Mur Lafferty’s Playing for Keeps offers a different take on the capes and tights crowd, from an outside view, but at the same time exploring some of the unspoken realities in comics: What if you were born with mundane powers, powers that didn’t help you lift mountains and light fires with a glance? Keepsie is a very human person, vulnerable yet strong, and loyal to the friends she loves and brave enough to face dangerous situations. A wonderful read for fans of the superhero genre and non-fans as well, lots of fun and clever. Let’s talk sequel Mur! Movie deals!! Licensing! Merchandising Merchandising! Keepsie’s = awesome I absolutely loved this book. Aside from really enjoying Mur’s previous works and her writing and presentation style in general, this genre is something that I truly enjoy. The underdog heroes showing up to save the day is almost guaranteed to provide a better story than some uber-hero always ending up with the win. I can’t really recommend this book enough; an absolutely fantastic, light, fun read. *two thumbs up* I didn’t see THAT coming ! Mur Lafferty’s tale of unexpected Superheroes is a fun romp. In Seventh City, the heroes are in it for all the wrong reasons. The bad guys may not be as bad as you think. And the real heroes are those overlooked citizens on the street who don’t flaunt their secret powers. Indeed, at the end of the day, its up to barkeep-turned-hero, Keepsie Branson, and her band of super friends to aide the system that shunned them. Without their help the metropolis of Seventh City may find itself at the mercy… of the heroes. Joining authors like Scott Sigler and Matthew Wayne Selznick, Ms. Lafferty has taken her wildly popular podcast novel and turned it into a version that doesn’t need earbuds or batteries. If you like a good superhero tale that’s both smart & funny, look no further. This one’s a keeper that will leave you wanting for more.